NBA 2K6 360 Impressons

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 4:34 pm

I got beef with two things in this game, one of which is an old problem with the series and with basketball games in general. First off, the game is just WAY too skewed towards interior play and taking it to the hoop, which is a shame because hitting a jumper and watching the replay in this game is one of the most beautiful sports gaming sequences EVER. Thankfully, XCell has a new Superstar slider set up at OS that really tries to bring the interior/exterior percentages back in line with the real NBA, toning down the ball-handling and dunking and upping mid-range percentages and tendencies. They are real nice. Unfortunately, playing the game online is still a miserable experience, as it's all dunking and 3's, and I heartily concur with all the complainers who have voiced similar concerns. I know people say to play with people you know, but the developer bears some responsibility for creating an engine that supports and fosters realistic play. I think back to some developer's quote pre-release that stated that NO one would be playing this game offline, because the online experience was so smooth and engaging. They couldn't have been more wrong.

The second gripe is that the CPU doesn't seem to react to or try to exploit my defense in any realistic fashion. They've got this whole weird problem with hyperactive small forwards, and the CPU offense so often consists of one pass to the SF or SG who either hoists up a 3 pointer regardless of how I'm covering him, or worse, he's just inside the line, receives the pass and hoists it anyway. They get their points, but in a sort of cursory way that has very little to do with good basketball strategy. They often run the same dribble routines... I know where to try and plant myself for a charge, I know how many weird dribble moves they're going to make before they shoot... and so on and so forth. Let's just say it's a long way from Winning Eleven. Inside Drive was better in this regard, though the variety in physical player interaction in this game blows ID out of the water. Sometimes the CPU does surprise me in 2K6 though... so there's SOMETHING going on under the hood.

But seriously, try XCell's sliders. I'm all about the mid-range game, as much as that might surprise Badgun.

AJColossal · Post by **AJColossal** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 6:13 pm

Slumber-

I agree with pretty much everything you said. The CPU offenses do tend to be a bit too predictable, and although there is some variety in the way the teams play, it should be even more dynamic. I''l give those sliders a try.

With all this said, I was very impressed with this game, and I can't wait to see how the series progresses.

Boom · Post by **Boom** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 8:14 pm

My only real concern with 2K6 on the 360 is the lack of 3 second calls. Players will camp in the paint for at least 6 or 7 seconds before getting the 3 second call.

Millennium · Post by **Millennium** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:48 am

Boom wrote:My only real concern with 2K6 on the 360 is the lack of 3 second calls. Players will camp in the paint for at least 6 or 7 seconds before getting the 3 second call.

Then it really does mimic the NBA

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:41 am

Good points, Slumber. I bot bored with the Bulls so I decided to do a fantasy draft association. Last night I jumped out to a big lead and the CPU responded by having Carmelo Anthony chucking threes and long Js all night. He hoisted 30+ shots. It seems like scoring always comes from the 2-3 spots, with some good PGs also taking a lot of shots.

But then there are other times where the 4-5s do a lot of damage. I had a game where Nowitski just went off from the PF and C spots. The variety leads me to believe, like Slumber said, that there's more than meets the eye here. I just wish the CPU offense had more variety to it.

I'll have to try those sliders out.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:49 am

Do these slider sets make the CPU take more threes? Maybe that is schewing the flow of the offense. I pretty much accept the fact that the CPU will only take 3-10 threes a game (on default tendency sliders) and they seem to play me pretty well. Miami pounded me with Shaq. I played Golden State the other night and they did hoist a ton of threes. It's not perfect, but I'm pretty happy.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:56 am

Leebo33 wrote:Do these slider sets make the CPU take more threes?

They very well may... but I've gone between various sliders sets and back to defaults on several occasions and the problem pops up in both cases, whether it's a lot of three attempts or those weird, ill-advised shots from just inside the 3 point line. Most sliders sets I've seen up the 3 pt tendencies for the CPU, I've noticed.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 12:19 pm

I have yet to see the SF position not try to score a lot, however. There are games where the CPU drives more or takes more mid-range shots, so I don't think that "pass to the 3 and shoot the 3" offense is set in stone. It seems more like if the SF or SG have a three-point rating over a certain number, they fire up a lot of threes or long jumpers.

I'm going to lower the tendency down and also raise the 3 pt shot effectiveness up a couple more notches (I bumped it up a couple above default).

Kazuya · Post by **Kazuya** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:10 pm

Kazuya wrote:
dbdynsty25 wrote:So what's wrong with the defense Kaz? Or do those of us who enjoy the game NOT want to know because it would ruin the enjoyment?
No, nothing like that. It's the same beef I've always had with basketball games in that the defense reacts unrealistically and it breaks down the spacing on the floor and other crap. Defenders switch at unholy speeds, have very little if any momentum, they have eyes in the back of their heads, etc. I think it bugs me more than most, but it makes the game play unrealistically in my eyes. For an example, all you have to do is get somebody like T-Mac hot on the game... when the computer predictably comes to double team, pass to the open man, then *watch* how fast the computer starts rotating. s*** the guy who is double-teaming the passer is literally beating a path as soon as the ball leaves the passer's hand. It's ridiculous. It might help if the passing wasn't so damn clunky. They implemented one-timers in hockey games long ago, why the *hell* won't they implement swing and touch passes? How am I supposed to swing the ball around witht his clunky crap?

I know this is a helluva thread bump, but I was nearly floored when I was reading the IGN NBA Live 2007 article today. The excerpt in particular:

IGN: NBA Live is sometimes criticized as being too "arcadey" and more of a highlight reel than a basketball sim. What in 07 have you done to bring the game more true to life?

Tschirner: By rewriting the entire AI for 07, we've laid down a brand new foundation designed to be the premier NBA simulation. This line of thinking extends to nearly every facet of the game, but two key areas we've focused on in particular are player movement and player ratings. Player movement is the foundation that will drive Gameplay. In the past, the 'arcadey' feel was often a result of the 'water bug' style of player movement where there was no penalty for moving in any direction at any time which created unrealistic moments. For example, if you pass the ball into the post and the defense comes to double and you then kick the ball out to the perimeter, the defense could easily recover back to the perimeter shooter unfairly and ruin a perfectly good basketball play. Our new movement system will now reward a good play like this because the defender will move like an actual human in this situation and adhere to the laws of momentum. These types of interactions also open up the mid-range game so the "arcadey" days of overusing dunks and 3-point shots are behind us.

With the quality of games these numbnuts working on Live have been putting out lately, they couldn't have possibly have figured this out themselves... could we have some spies reading this board?

Rest of the article is here... I like how they are motion capturing distinctive shots (not unlike batting stances)... prepare for Shawn Marion's ugly-but-effective high arching heave from the corner three...

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/725/725510p1.html

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:59 pm

Kazuya wrote:prepare for Shawn Marion's ugly-but-effective high arching heave from the corner three...

Hell yeah...I cannot wait. But I definitely don't think that Live can turn it around in one year. Last years piece of garbage is so far from being a decent basketball game, it's not even funny. The best we can hope for is a playable game...which I think is asking a lot. Hell, they couldn't even figure out a way to have the camera keep up with the action. 2k6 was very good (besides the quoted issues of defenders getting back to their man too quickly)...so hopefully a little tweaking will go a long way to remedy that.